It was a leisurely breakfast at the McCaig Estate House.
The consensus over coffee was that the previous day had gone quite perfectly with several telling remarks directed at Christine Jansen that could well have found their mark.
“It’s up to Edmund now, my dear. We have done all we can. If she does not take the hint, there’s nothing short of a bomb to shift her from Oban.”
“You may be right, Alina. Good news though about James accepting the job of CEO, and equally good news about a new assistant doctor. All in all, a fine day’s work!
Do you suppose we can relax today at Jeanette’s?”
“I certainly hope so!”
Anna noted the fatigue in Alina’s voice and decided to cut short the afternoon with Jean and the children should Alina show any signs of fading. She had been through an exhausting experience in London and she really needed more time to recuperate.
“Right! I am off upstairs to tidy up and call Bev to see if James and Caroline told her their plans.
You are to stay here and keep Sylvia company. We won’t be going to Jeanette’s until later. She will collect us on her way back from a renovation job out of town.”
Alina let the peace of the country kitchen sink into her soul. Anna, as always, knew exactly what she needed. Two women who had known each other through thick and thin since their schooldays, understood more than words could express about their inner needs and feelings.
She needed rest. She needed Philip. Now that her eyesight was returning day by day, she needed nothing more.
She poured the last cup from the coffee carafe and gazed out the window.
Another lovely spring day with a hint of a breeze. This was truly an extraordinary place to live.
No wonder Anna longed for it when she was in Canada. Stories of the occasional wild winter had not discouraged her so far. The Scottish winters were shorter than in Ontario and less severe overall, but Anna still preferred her Canadian comforts in the colder months.
How long would Anna be able to make the trans-Atlantic crossing to spend her winters amid Canada’s efficient heating systems?
How long would either of them have the good general health to continue this peripatetic existence?
What would happen when loved ones were, inevitably, left behind on one side or the other of the great ocean divide?
Getting older is not for the faint in heart, she surmised.
She looked at Sylvia, grooming her fur contentedly on the window seat.
Animals never worried about the future. They accepted each day as it came. Each moment was sufficient for them. If there was nothing to do, sleep filled the gap and prepared them for the next adventure.
I will take a lesson from Sylvia. I will take one day at a time and be grateful for the present.
The future will take care of itself, I have no doubt.
Anna found it hard to believe how much Annette and Liam had grown since her last visit.
Her godchildren amazed her with their exploits, their interests and the delightful way in which they deferred to their grandmother’s greater wisdom.
Jean was obviously an essential part of the family and her role as backup for the busy parents was greatly valued.
Anna thought how fortunate Jean was to be in daily contact with her grandchildren and from what Jeanette said, the feeling was mutual.
“She was always a strict disciplinarian with me. It was very difficult to pull any wool over her eyes, as they say. But now, she has softened a bit and has more patience, although that sense of expectations and standards keeps these two rascals in check.”
Anna and Alina were treated to after-school teatime, then the children went off to their rooms to do crafts and follow their individual interests before joining their father and mother and guests for supper. Jean and Alina stayed in the kitchen to chat about Brexit and Canadian politics under Justin Trudeau while Jeanette and Anna inspected the garden.
“What do you think Annette and Liam will do with their lives?’ asked Anna.
They were seated together on a bench in the rear garden which was set into the steep hillside. protected from The sea breezes flowed by well above their heads protecting banks of flowers and small shrubs which ascended the slope in stepped tiers.
“Goodness me!” exclaimed Jeanette on a laugh. “I am the last one to know about that!
All I can say is that Annette is an extrovert with a love of acting, and Liam is much more into reading and learning, but who knows?”
“So, they are following in their parents’ footsteps, then?”
Jeanette paused for a moment and then replied more thoughtfully.
“I suppose you may be right about that Anna Mason Drake. Just like you to analyse their characteristics so accurately. It’s the teacher in you, I suppose.”
“Time will tell, as in all things, but I think you and George have done a wonderful job with your children. With connections on both sides of the Atlantic, it will be interesting to see what and where they choose.”
“I see what Bev and Alan’s two boys have done and I guess we must accept that families living in each other’s pockets all their lives, is a thing of the past. Fortunately, the ability of parents and grandparents to travel across the world to keep in touch has kept pace with the trend, for which I am duly grateful.”
The next topic of discussion was the Christine situation.
“I have not seen much of her, Anna. She seems to hover around her son and I suppose we can’t blame her for that. He is her one chick, after all. What was your impression from your tour of the local sights?”
“I believe she is a lonely woman who is afraid of losing Edmund. The problem is, if she continues to push too hard she will antagonize Ashley and force her son to choose between the two women in his life. That is not a pleasant situation. Much damage could be done.”
“I have to agree. The best solution would be if those two got married fast, and started a family right away. I know what a difference it makes to George and I having Jean living with us. If Christine had a definite purpose for the future she would soon settle down and allow the couple to live their lives in comparative peace.”
Anna said nothing. She recognized the common sense of Jeanette’s words but there was another factor in her mind that was, as yet, unknown to anyone else. After Ashley had cared for her through chickenpox and spent months on the book about the romance she shared with Lawren, Anna had made up her mind to leave the McCaig Estate House to Ashley in her will.
Now, she considered, if she gifted the house to Ashley and Edmund as a wedding present, it would solve some of their accommodation problems. It was something to think about and it might also precipitate the final decision about where Ashley would settle…..Scotland or Canada?
This was a weighty matter and she was not yet ready to consider all the possible implications. She tucked it away for now. She would talk privately to Alina and Philip before making any announcements.
Jeanette had noticed how thoughtful Anna was but she did not want to pry.
“So, what did Bev learn about Caroline and James’ plans?”
“Not much as yet. They are returning to their flat in London very soon and decisions will be made there about Caroline’s future job, I guess. The one good thing is that the tiny flat is situated right in the centre of the city so it should command an excellent price when they sell.”
“I think another good thing is James having a great job with A Plus. Bev and Alan will be thrilled.
Do you believe there’s a chance the couple will decide to live in Scotland? It would be much cheaper than down south.”
“I really don’t know but it would be lovely to have them here. Alina and I are very fond of James.”
Liam and Annette arrived at this moment with an invitation to eat, as well as arms full of their latest projects to show.
“Daddy’s home and Gran says to give him five minutes of peace and quiet before we eat.”
Jeanette went off to the kitchen and Anna had the pleasure of the two children all to herself.
“Auntie Anna, did you know about Fergus and Shona finding the Viking artifacts? We had specialists at the school and they told us all how important their discovery was.”
“And, there’s going to be a film made of it all! Fergus and Shona will be famous, I think.”
“Would you like to be famous, Annette?”
Anna gently stroked the hair of her godchild and watched as the prospect travelled across her transparent face. Not much could ever be concealed by this open and eager child. It would be both a blessing and a curse, but if she was meant for a life on stage or screen, it could be a great asset. They always said those whom the camera loved were the greatest stars.
This fascinating topic of conversation occupied the time until George came to fetch them. He stooped to kiss Anna’s cheek and she noticed a great deal more grey in his hair but this only made his fair curls lighter. It suited him well. George was her first ever contact with Oban and from their association, promoted by Helen Dunlop, so many good things had sprung into life. He was the keeper of many secrets for many people; a quality of the best solicitors. Anna wondered if this was a burden to him but watching him now, with his family around him, she surmised the cost was well worth it. Jeanette was his perfect foil. Where he was quiet and introspective, she was happy to communicate with the world at large, leaving him to his study and his paperwork, safe in the knowledge that what was most important would be filtered later, by her to him, in digestible chunks.
It was a pleasant meal in most pleasant company but Anna asked Jeanette to drive the women home well before dark. She was sticking to her promise to ensure Alina was well rested in preparation for Philip’s arrival and she seemed to be accumulating a list of her own concerns that required quiet time to think through.
The next day had been set aside for the much-anticipated visit to Fiona at Glenmorie but she was beginning to think too much had already been scheduled into one very busy week. On the other hand, there was no one better than Fiona with whom to discuss weighty matters. The girl had a pure streak of Scottish good sense running through her and her usual, well-considered, advice was second to none.
The dilemma was solved when a call from Philip announced his imminent arrival on British shores.
Alina immediately insisted she would stay close to home in case his train from Glasgow was early. He was spending the night at an airport hotel in order to recover from the long haul flight and would take whatever connections north were available once he had a good night’s sleep.
Anna saw the wisdom in this approach and decided to go ahead with her plan for the Glenmorie visit leaving the way clear for a long-awaited reunion between husband and wife. It was bound to be an emotional reunion with much to be explained and shared and all the better for a chance to do this in private.